Can Even a Mob Highschooler Like Me be a Normie if I Become an Adventurer?

Episode 15 Renge-san is really strict with her juniors (1)

　……Surprisingly.

　The exploration after that went better than expected.

　At first, I was worried that there would be a lack of cooperation due to the discord between the two, but when it came down to it, the two of them were perfect for each other.

　The Imp's combat power was the weakest in the party. Her role was inevitably to provide support. However, all of her magic are ‘subtle’:

　A blade of magic that slices, a magic that restores a little strength, a barrier jacket that softens the enemy's attack for a single shot, and a magic that makes the enemy's feet slippery. She can only use these four.

　None of them are great magic.

　The blade of magic is currently only as powerful as a cut made by a human with a knife.

　Although this may sound quite strong, monsters are much tougher than humans.

　Moreover, due to the nature of magic, it can be defended with both physical and magical defenses.

　In other words, tough enemies such as golems resisted with their toughness, and magic-based enemies such as wraiths resisted with their magic power.

　At this point, I gave up using Imp as an attacker.

　Well, she is still quite useful.

　She can't heal wounds or remove status ailments, but recovering physical strength is a modestly helpful effect.

　Rather than for combat, it is very helpful for me who still has to move around the dungeon.

　Naturally, Renge can use this magic as well, but since her magic power is used in so many different ways for both attack and recovery, I have no choice but to conserve it until now.

　The imp just being a reinforcement is already being helpful.

　As for the barrier jacket, it's frankly crap.

　It’s only effective for one shot and has the same level of protection as a thick layer of clothing. The only advantage is that the magic power consumption is minimal. In this case, it is likely best to use it immediately at the beginning of a battle.

　The last, the slippery magic ......, is also not very effective.

　When I tried it on myself, the soles of my feet became slippery and I felt as if I was standing on ice.

　However, if you hold on firmly, you won't fall, and the effect will only last for a few seconds.

　It is a very subtle status ailment magic that has little effect on a four-legged opponent like Yuki, and it is also meaningless against opponents who are floating in the air like Renge.

　--However, this slip magic was the last gear which I need for this party.

　Basically, the greater the effect that a status ailment has on the opponent, the higher the chance that it will be resisted. Conversely, the weaker the magic, the more likely it will pass.

　If you add the luck manipulation skill of a zashiki-warashi to the mix, it's almost certain that status ailments of the same rank will pass.

　In other words, the slip magic will always be transformed into magic that knocks the opponent down.

　So far, Renge's skill to manipulate luck has been useful mainly outside of battle.

　This is because the skill of [Misfortune and fortune are like a rope] is not so much an ability that can affect the life or death of the opponent.

　At best, it is just a matter of luck, such as being lucky enough to avoid the opponent's attack, or having successfully landed an attack by chance.

　But now that a member who can use status ailment has joined the team, the true value of the skill has become apparent.

　The chance of status ailment is increased based on the luck of allies and the misfortune of enemies. Due to the status ailment, the balance of the game is greatly tilted in our favor here.

　That is the original role of zashiki-warashi.

　What Renge needed was a trigger to cause good luck and bad luck.

　It could be anything, for example, putting a banana on the floor or rolling an empty can.

　As long as there was a stage set to bring misfortune to the opponent, the rest would roll in our favor on its own, such as the enemy falling when they stepped on the banana peel, or, conversely, we managing to avoid the enemy's attack by falling.

　Slip magic, which only makes it easier for the opponent to fall, would be transformed into the strongest trap by the ability of a zashiki-warashi.

　However............ what the parties concerned think of that is another story.

“.........................................."

　After the battle ended, an awkward silence reigned all the way to the next small room.

　The previous battle also ended in a flash thanks to the combo of Imp's slip and Renge's [Misfortune and fortune are like a rope].

　This time, the enemy consisted of four enemies: a zombie, a high kobold, a sandman, and a nightmare. At first glance, the combination of the zombie's durable guard, high kobold that can summon reinforcements, and the sandman-nightmare duo was an unpleasant one.

　We instantly decided to kill the sandman first to break up its duet with the nightmare and then kill the high kobold before it called for reinforcements, but as expected, the zombie stood in our way.

　It was just like a rehash of the last time, but things were also a little different.

　The zombie fell over due to the Imp's slip magic. Yuki took the opportunity to eliminate the sandman, and Eliza belatedly slingshot the high kobold through the throat. After that, it was all decided.

　The battle was over in a matter of seconds, and we felt as if it had been a piece of cake.

　Yuki and I praised Renge and the Imp. But they were not happy at all.

　I guess they understood that their abilities were compatible with each other.

　But that, on the contrary, was not pleasant.

　Renge was able to show her true potential thanks to someone she didn't like. The Imp was able to outperform her abilities thanks to someone she doesn't like as well. It seemed that both sides were hurting each other's pride.

　It's not like they refuse to cooperate, but they don't want to thank each other. I could see this kind of conflict between the two.

　As a result, they seemed to have reached a conclusion to ignore each other's presence as much as possible, which created this delicate atmosphere.

“………… Haa~”

　I secretly let out a sigh.

　Ah, I wonder what can be done about this uncomfortable feeling.

　The easiest way is to put the Imp or Renge back to their card. However, it will greatly hurt the mood of the person who is returned.

　If I had really decided to sell the Imp, that would have been a good idea. But now that I knew how to use her skills, I had no intention of letting this card go.

　In that case, I would like to somehow bring the two of them together.

“Oi."

　As I was walking forward while thinking about that, I was suddenly called out by Renge.

“Huh? What's the matter?”

“I feel like having a snack. Give me something to eat.”

“Oh, okay."

　Since Renge started to cooperate with us voluntarily, sweets are no longer a reward system, but a method to take out when she wants to eat them. Thanks to that, my bag was always stocked with sweets to some extent.

“Sweets?!　Wow, I've never eaten sweets before!”

　The Imps who was listening to our conversation had a twinkle in her eyes. ……Does she also like sweets? Unexpectedly, don't you have common points with Renge?

　 　While thinking so, I started handing out pound cakes to everyone.

Just in time for a break here.

　As I was about to give one to Imp, a hand reached out from beside me and snatched it away.

“Oops, this is too big for you. I'll eat it for you instead.”

"Huh!?"

　Renge...... doing such a childish thing again...... No, she’s a child.

　The Imp who had her sweets taken away from her naturally became furious.

"Hey, that's mine! Give it back!"

"Ah, I’m sorry, then I'll give you a piece. Your body is small, so that's enough, right?"

"The size of my body is irrelevant, though!　We can eat as much as we want, and we didn't even have to eat anything!　Just give it back, I was looking forward to it too!"

“Too bad!　Only those who work can eat sweets.”

“I worked too!”

"Ha, it's thanks to my power, isn't it? Otherwise, what good is your power?”

“-----you!

　The Imp's expression finally turned grim, and just as a full-fledged fight was about to begin, Yuki hurriedly intervened,

“Hey, hey, hey! That's enough!　That was Renge-san's fault just now. Come on, give her back her snack. Right?　Master.”

"Yeah. Renge, that kind of thing is not good. Look, if you don't have enough, I'll give you mine.”

"........................... Tch, it's not like that.

"Renge?"

　I couldn't catch what she said, so I asked her back. But she just shook her head and handed me the pound cake of the Imp.

“Haa, nothing. I was just teasing. Here, I'll give it back."

"Hmm, oh, ....... Look, Imp, it's back.

　But the teary-eyed Imp didn't take it.

“I don't want that ...... anymore!”

“Ah, then how about this one?　 It's chocolate. It's bite-sized and easy to eat.”

　When I said that and handed her a box full of small pieces of chocolate, the Imp hugged the case, which was as big as her own body.

　I winked at Yuki and decided to let her deal with Imp.

"Imp-san, do you know how to open it? I'll open it for you."

"……En."

Taking advantage of the exchange between Yuki and Imp, I pulled Renge a little further away.

"Hey, Renge... what’s wrong?"

“…………….”

Renge quietly and awkwardly doesn't answer.

……Looking at this, it seemed that she is aware that she said something bad.

So, it would not be a good idea to get mad at her. I eased my voice as much as possible and softly admonished her,

"To be honest, I don't know much about monsters yet, but I don't think it's a good idea to talk about skills and fighting ability.　You see, you may have some kind of complex that you can’t control.”

　When I said that, Renge scratched her head in frustration.

“I know, I know. It's obvious that I had said too much. I'm just ...... that, you know what I mean?”

“I know.”

　I guessed. For the most part, it's seems that the silence had become awkward and she was trying to communicate with her, even if it was a fight.

　She was like that with me in the beginning, too. It went well, so she did it again.

　But it worked with me because I was somewhat older.

　From the looks of it, Imp looks about the same age as Renge, both in appearance and mental age.

　Since it’s like that...... it would turn into a real fight.

　But well, it's not like it will be a bad thing in the long run.......

　As long as we're going to be partners from now on, it's better to settle the conflicts as soon as possible.

　If they keep accumulating dissatisfaction poorly and then fight at the end, we'll end up in a state of isolation.

　In that sense, it is not bad to have a relationship where they can express their feelings immediately.

　The only problem is that if during this test of mine, their relationship deteriorates to the point where we can't work together.......

　I was wondering what should I tell them when Renge said,

“Oh, I understand without you having to tell me. You want me to do my job properly in battle, right?　I know that much. Maybe that Imp do, too.”

"I-I see...then there's nothing left for me to say. But you really understand, don't you?"

"Yeah. ......I'll apologize when I get a chance.”

“Good.”

　Then Yuki came.

    "Master, it’s fine. Imp-san also said that she will fight properly in battle."

　As expected of Yuki. She understands my thoughts without me having to say a word.

“Thank you. Sorry, but please keep an eye on her for a while.”

“Yes.”

　The little girls turned their heads away from each other so as not to look at one another.

　I secretly let out a sigh at the disturbing atmosphere that had begun to drift into our party, which was previously known for its good atmosphere.

Episode 15 Renge-san is really strict with his juniors. ②

　A few minutes later.

　We resumed our exploration.

　Along the way, Renge and Imp did not talk to each other more than before, and Imp talked only to Yuki, while Renge talk only to me.

　We eventually arrived at a small room and engaged in another battle, and both Imp and Renge did their jobs well.

　I was relieved to see that, but I still felt that the gap between the Imp and Renge was getting bigger.

　As we proceeded in such an unfriendly atmosphere, the Imp suddenly said,

"......Hey?　That wall over there looks a little funny, doesn't it?"

“Huh?　Really?"

　Yuki said and looked at the dead-end wall, but it looked like a normal wall to my eyes.

“….I can't really put my finger on it, but it does feel a little different.”

“Nn. I'm sorry Eliza, but would you mind checking it out?”

“Yes, Master.”

　Eliza started to inspect the wall in detail. But she can't find anything.

“My apologies, nothing is found.”

"Is that so......."

　I was hoping it might be a secret path, but...

　Perhaps Imp was starting to not trust her own intuition, but she looked glum.

　There, Renge took a step forward.

“I see,...... shit, that's how it is.”

“Renge?"

“Well, just look."

　After saying that, Renge fired a barrage at the wall.

What the hell are you doing...!?

　The next moment, our eyes widened. Blue liquid spewed out from the wall with countless wind holes.

　Is this wall a mimicry of a...... monster?!

　Renge spat out in frustration,

“We were fooled by the assumption that there would be no enemies in the corridors. But it stuck itself at the entrance of the room, mimicking the wall.”

“Damn, we were completely deceived. Good job, Imp, Renge. Alright, let's go!"

“Yeah!”

As soon as the wall-mimicking monster - probably Nurikabe - disappears, we rushed into the room.

　Waiting for us inside was just one little monster. It was a squirrel-like creature about the size of a small dog, with a red jewel on its forehead.

　I had never seen this monster before, but I knew what it was. It was a monster so well-known that it would be no exaggeration to say that every adventurer knew of it.

“Carbuncle!　Uooooooh!　Don't let it get away!"

　The moment it saw us, it turned on its heel and tried to run away into the hallway at the back of the room, and I shouted in a panic.

　At about the same time, the Imp's slip activated.

　The carbuncle let out a small shriek and turned over with a stutter, but Renge immediately stomped on it with her foot. She then attempted to release a light bullet---

"Renge!　Wait!　Stop!　If possible, please let the Imp finish it off.”

"Aah?"

“M, me?

　I explained about carbuncles to the two who looked doubtful.

　Carbuncle is a rare monster that can be found extremely rarely in dungeons of E-rank or higher. It has almost no fighting ability and runs away as soon as it sees a human being.

　If you are a game enthusiast, this feature may have hit home, and as you may have guessed, defeating a carbuncle can significantly grow your combat power. However, only the card that put an end to the carbuncle gains experience, and other cards do not grow at all.

　Normally, it would be more efficient to have Renge, who has the highest growth limit, to finish it off, but ......

Renge, who received my gaze, gave a small chuckle.

"...... Okay, I get it. Hey, you can finish the job."

"Eh, but..."

　The Imp hesitated at the warmth of her supposedly unfriendly comrade.

At that, Renge said while a little embarrassed,

"... it's your credit for finding this place, so this much reward... is fine."

"……………………okay."

　The imp also nodded shyly, then she attacked the carbuncle.

　Seeing that, Yuki and I patted our chests in relief.

　Really, the kids get into fights right away and make peace right away.

　Honestly, I'm a little envious. As I get older, I don't get angry easily, and that makes reconciliation more difficult...

　I recall when I was a kid, I had a fight with a friend over a trivial matter and we made up right away the next day. That time, ...... yeah, I remember we exchanged trading cards that the guy wanted. Then I got the card I wanted, too, and....... we stopped seeing each other when we went to different junior high schools and now I can't even remember his name.

　I don't know why I suddenly felt lonely, even though I never remembered him before.

“............"

　I shook my head and brought back my mind.

　When the carbuncle died, it left behind a magic stone and a large red gemstone. This gemstone is another reason why adventurers pursue carbuncles.

　The gem is called the carbuncle garnet, and is particularly popular among garnets as it brings good luck, and is traded at a very high price.

　Even a stone the size of a fingernail should fetch no less than two million yen.

　You can sell it, or you can give it to someone. With a grin on my face, I put the garnet away in a soft cloth bag.

　There was one more thing to look forward to.

　I looked toward the golden treasure chest.

　It's a gold box of disappointment that appears only when a Carbuncle is defeated.

　The gold box is said to be many times more likely to produce a lucky hit than a normal disappointment box. However, as a matter of course, there are usually some disappointments. A disappointing box is a disappointing box even if it is gold.

“All right, Eliza, open it up.”

"Yes."

　Eliza, who had become much more adept at navigating her way around these floors, began to wrestle with the gold chest.

　Please, don't be a failure this time~

　As we were all praying while staring her way, Eliza looked back at us. Her face seemed to have a smile on it.

“It's open.”

“Ohh!”

　Everyone rushed to the golden box. And when I lifted the lid of the box with a twinkle in my eyes, there was...

"S-skill orb! We hit the jackpo--ot!”

　Everyone cheered in unison. The color of the orb is ...... blue!　It's a magic skill.

　Skill orbs can be roughly identified by their color.

　Since it contains a magic skill, it will go to either Renge or Imp......

　I glanced at the two.

　Honestly, I'd rather give it to Renge rather than to Imp. It's because she has higher magical power and future potential.

　But it is hard to say in this subtle atmosphere.

　I'm not sure what to say, but I'm having a hard time with it.

"......, what are you doing, why don't you use it quickly?"

“Eh?”

　The Imp said while looking away from the surprised Renge, her ears heartlessly red,

"There's no point in me using it... right?"

　I nodded at Renge who asked with her eyes if it was okay, and then she timidly reached out her hand to the orb.

“Thanks......."

　Renge murmured in a small voice, audible yet inaudible, and used the skill orb.

The zashiki-warashi card glowed for a moment, telling me that she had acquired a new skill.

　Renge asked me with a twinkle in her eyes,

"So, so? What kind of skill is it?"

"Whoa...ah"

I stiffened when I saw the skill that appeared on the card.

"Hey... seriously? Something like this...”

"Eh? Is it that great of a skill, Master?”

”Or is it a ...... shitty skill?"

“O, oi...... what the hell did I get?

　I replied with a cramped face to Renge, whose face suddenly turned anxious,

"... It said ‘Elementary status ailment magic’."

"What?"x3

　The surrounding froze.

　Everyone turned their gaze to the Imp for a moment and then immediately turned away.

　Renge looked up to the heavens.

“...... Imp, I didn't hate you in any way. Even if you go to a new place, do your best......."

"Haaaaa!? Hey, don't be kidding me!"

　The Imp instantly seethed at the seemingly roundabout notice of dismissal that Renge told her.

“Why that skill at this time?!　How much do you hate me?!”

“It’s not like I know that this is going to happen!!”

"Return the skill orb now! Don't take my job!"

“Don't be absurd!”

　I took out the cards of Imp and Renge while smiling wryly at the two who were quarreling.

　There, an exact same skill was newly inscribed.

[Race] Zashiki-warashi (Renge)

[Combat Power] 310 (5 UP!)

[Inborn Skills]

・Misfortune and luck are like a rope

・Hide-and-seek

・Elementary recovery magic

[Acquired skills]

・Zero existence

・Free-spiritedness

・Elementary attack magic

・Friendship linkage (NEW!): Can link skills with those who have friendships with each other.

・Elementary status ailment magic (NEW!)

[Race] Imp

[Combat Power] 130 (65 UP! MAX!)

[Inborn Skills]

・Devil fairy

・Elementary wizard apprentice

[Acquired Skills]

・Little devil’s heart.

・A single-minded heart.

・Friendship linkage (NEW!): Can link skills with those who have friendships with each other.

Ahhh, I guess I can't sell this card anymore.

Name, I have to come up with a name.

　I put the cards away and intervened between the two.

[Tips] Skill Orbs

　A special magic item called skill orbs appears from the treasure chest in the dungeon. Skill orbs can be given to cards to make them learn new skills easily. If a card has a different skill, it will be absorbed as experience and will increase the possibility of skill rank-up, so it will never be wasted.

　If you can sell it, it will be worth a lot of money, but you cannot sell it because it will disappear if you try to take it out of the dungeon. Also, it’s a gamble because it is not always possible to get only good skills.